The WELL Community for Women Earns Gold WINGS Award for Innovative Child Care Approach

Founder, Kara Lee, accepts WINGS Award from TOOTRiS CEO Alessandra Lezama and CTO Jerome Fodor

San Diego model of shared workspace, on-site Child Care and community support to expand to more states through a new licensing business

SAN DIEGO, CA, UNITED STATES, October 27, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The WELL Community for Women earned the Gold WINGS Award at the 2026 TOOTRiS WINGS Summit for its San Diego model of shared workspace, on-site Child Care community support. Founder Kara Lee took the stage to accept the award in front of 300 Child Care leaders and industry partners attending WINGS.

Founded in 2018, the nonprofit gives mothers a place to work while their children receive care just steps away. They can look through a window into the baby room, take a break to nurse or rock their child, and share lunch with their children and other families.

“Proximity gives them the ability to do both things at the same time,” Lee told WINGS attendees.

The San Diego location operates with license-exempt Child Care, providing care without a Child Care facility license under an exemption in which parents remain on site. Mothers work in the same location while staff care for their children nearby.

The WELL also addresses isolation through classes, support groups and nonprofit partnerships that provide scholarships and resources. Partners serve families including military spouses, survivors of human trafficking and mothers of children with special needs. The organization reports serving more than 500 families since opening, with a 97% parent satisfaction rate.

Lee and her husband have now launched The WELL Communities, a separate business that will license the model to help others establish similar spaces. Each licensed location will be independently operated and responsible for meeting its own state's Child Care requirements, including whether it qualifies for an exemption or needs a facility license. Licenses are not yet available in California, Illinois or New York.

“We really believe these need to be in every city in America,” Lee said during her presentation.

“We’re proud of Kara and The WELL Communities for thinking outside the box and helping expand the choices available to families,” said Alessandra Lezama, CEO of TOOTRiS. “Families deserve options that reflect the lives they actually lead. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to parenting, and our industry moves forward when people think beyond the familiar and create new possibilities.”

The WINGS Awards recognized innovative solutions already being put into practice. Six finalists selected from nationwide applications each presented for seven minutes at WINGS before attendees voted to determine the winners. More than $10,000 in funding and support was awarded across the program.

Held September 14–16 at the Coronado Island Marriott Resort & Spa, the 2026 TOOTRiS WINGS Summit brought together leaders from more than 40 states and Washington, D.C., to share practical solutions for Child Care.

About The WELL Community for Women:
The WELL Community for Women is a San Diego nonprofit bringing workspace, on-site Child Care and community support together for women and their families. The model is licensed separately through The Well Communities at thewellcommunities.com

About TOOTRiS:
TOOTRiS is the nation’s largest Child Care platform that partners with employers, providers, government agencies, and Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) organizations to strengthen local Child Care ecosystems, amplify the impact of community-based initiatives, and make care more accessible, equitable, and sustainable — empowering parents, supporting providers, and fueling economic growth. Learn more at tootris.com.

Jeff McAdam
TOOTRiS
+1 720-988-0984
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
X